


Stop

by panchostokes (badwolfrun)



Series: Prompt Fics [102]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Drabble, Episode: s09e01 For Warrick, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:40:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badwolfrun/pseuds/panchostokes
Summary: Nick and David have a moment in their grief.
Relationships: David Hodges/Nick Stokes
Series: Prompt Fics [102]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540795
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	Stop

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FrozenMemories](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenMemories/gifts).



> to fill the prompt “I want you to stop touching me.”

“I want you to stop touching me.”

The first five words, arranged in their aforementioned order, were common words spoken to David Hodges over the course of his life.

_“I want you to stop talking.”  
_

_“I want you to leave.”  
_

_“I want you to stop stalking me.”_

He’s always been told to stop, but has never asked anybody else to.

And yet right now, he’s asking Nick Stokes-- _Nick goddamn Stokes--_ of all the people he has the right to tell to stop, and not only to just stop _anything_ , but to stop touching him. Stop wiping away his tears. Stop trying to offer him comfort when he doesn’t deserve it. 

“I want you to stop touching me,” he repeats, as he bites down on his fist and walks away. 

“Goose--”

Silly nicknames won’t help. He can’t look at Nick’s face. Not like this. 

“Don’t. Just...just don’t.”

“I know...I know this...this has been hard on all of us, I just wanta make sure you’re okay--”

“How can _anybody_ be okay with this?” David laughs incredulously, meeting Nick’s own shining eyes with his own for the first time since they were left alone in Trace, waiting for results that won’t actually come for another few hours.

“I ratted on him,” David chokes.

“You didn’t.”

“You were even pissed about it, you were right to be--”

“You were concerned. So was I,” Nick shrugs. “And yeah, I was pissed but...I could have handled it better. Could have...done more...”

Nick turns away, one hand resting on his hip, the other wiping his face. Even in a time like this, he won’t let the cracks show.

“Aren’t you tired of this?” David asks him.

“Of what?”

“Being strong? Don’t you want to just...collapse?”

David feels a twinge of guilt, wishing he could just fall backwards into Nick’s arms, be held up as he was mere hours ago. 

“I do. But I have to be strong. For everyone. For Warrick.”

His embrace tightens, nearly crushing David’s chest but David just cups his hands behind Nick’s head, pulls it against his own, tasting the tear that drips out of the leaking faucet of his eyes. 

“For _you.”_


End file.
